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Wii cut to $150, bundled with Mario Kart

The Nintendo Wii is getting a price cut and a new bundle, tossing out the Wii Sports games for Mario Kart and a wheel controller.

As had been rumoured in April, Nintendo is dropping the price of a new Wii to $149.99 on May 15. On top of that, the console's bundle is getting a shake-up.

The current bundled games of Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort are being cast out, replaced with Mario Kart Wii and its Wii Wheel controller. The new bundle will also include, as before, a Wii Remote Plus and Nunchuk controller.

It'll be available in traditional white or chic black. Wii Wheels will also be available in black for $9.99.

In Europe, the Wii Sports bundle will not be discontinued, rather receiving a price cut on May 20. Nintendo will also introduce the new Mario Kart Wii bundle--though only in white--to Europe on that day. Nintendo cannot confirm the new price, as retailers alone set prices in Europe, but it has reduced the trade price.

The Wii has cost $200 since September 2009, though many retailers dropped their price to $170 in April. Hopefully you weren't swayed by that particular reduction but if you were, well, perhaps you still have time to take advantage of the store's return policy.

Nintendo will be looking to keep Wii sales ticking over nicely until its successor arrives in 2012, though sales will doubtless continue to be strong long after that launches. The mysterious new console will receive a formal unveiling at E3 in June, where it'll be playable.